Prospective Students 2013–14
University of California Website on How to Pay for a UC Education
Information About the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan
Information About the Berkeley Middle Class Access Plan
How to Apply for Financial Aid
Who Is Eligibile for Financial Aid?
How to Apply for Financial Aid
FAFSA
You apply for financial aid for the 2013-14 academic year by completing a 2013–14 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) after January 1, 2013. You can complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Be sure to list the UC Berkeley federal school code 001312 on your FAFSA. The on-time deadline for completing a FAFSA for the 2013–14 academic year is March 2, 2013.
Transfer Students who filled out a 2012–13 FAFSA need to also complete a 2013–14 FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov after January 1, 2013.
Cal Grant
All new and transfer students who are California residents also need to apply for a Cal Grant. Fill out a GPA Verification Form and have it sent to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) by March 2, 2013. You can download the form from the CSAC website. To be considered for a Cal Grant, you need to have a four-year California college listed as one of the schools to receive your FAFSA information.
California Dream Act
Undergraduate students who qualify for an AB 540 waiver may be eligible for Berkeley Undergraduate Dream Act Aid.
Important Dates for 2013–14
The FAFSA deadline for on-time consideration is March 2, 2013. This applies to students entering in Fall 2013 or Spring 2014.
For California residents, the deadline for submitting your Cal Grant GPA Verification Form to the California Student Aid Commission is March 2, 2013.
If you are applying for admission and financial aid at UC Berkeley for the Fall 2013 semester, please be aware of the following schedule:
- Nov. 1–30, 2012
Complete your UC Admission Application, listing Berkeley. - Jan. 1–March 2, 2013
Complete your FAFSA online. UC Berkeley's priority deadline for entering students is March 2, 2012. - March 2, 2013
This is the deadline for the FAFSA for on-time consideration for Cal Grants, University grants, and Federal Work-Study. (If you file late, you may still be considered for Pell Grants and Federal Direct Loans.) If you are a California resident, the GPA Verification Form must be submitted to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) by this same deadline. - End of March 2013
If your admission file is complete, you will be notified of your admission status from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Transfer students will be notified at the end of April 2013. If you are admitted, you will be able to see your financial aid package on MyFinAid, UC Berkeley's online financial aid system, the same day you are notified of your admission. Every student receiving financial aid at UC Berkeley has a MyFinAid account. You will need a CalNet ID to access MyFinAid. You will find a link to create your CalNet ID in the Next Steps section of your myBerkeleyApplication home page when you are notified of your admission. - May 1, 2013
Deadline to submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) and Statement of Legal Residence (SLR) in the State of California to UC Berkeley. Transfer students must submit their SIR and SLR by June 1, 2013. - May 1–August 1, 2013
Check MyFinAid for messages from the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office. If your financial aid file is not complete, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office may ask you for additional documents.
Types of Aid Available
There are four types of financial aid: grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans.
Grants are like gifts. They do not have to be repaid. Grants are awarded from federal, state, and University funds according to financial need. Berkeley awards Cal Grant A, Cal Grant B, Pell Grants, Supplemental Opportunity Grants, and University grants.
Scholarships
The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office offers scholarships based on both merit and financial need. if you have applied to UC Berkeley and if you have filed a FAFSA, you are automatically considered. There is no application to fill out. We don't maintain a list of outside scholarships, but do offer links to helpful websites. If you are eligible for a University scholarship, it will be listed on MyFinAid, UC Berkeley's online financial aid system.
Federal Work-Study is financial aid through student employment. Because federal funds pay a portion of work-study wages, many jobs are held open for students. The average rate of pay on campus is more than $10 per hour. Federal Work-Study students often find employment that matches their field of study and can usually plan job schedules around academic work. Students generally work no more than 15 hours per week during school, but may work full-time during vacations.
Loans
Students are considered for Federal Direct Loans, Perkins Loans, and Parent PLUS Loans. While loans must be repaid, many students and families find them necessary to finance their education. As the federal loan programs generally have better terms than other types of loans, students should always work with the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office to secure loans before looking at private sources. Many student loans do not need to be repaid until after graduation.
For more information about federal financial aid, see the federal government's Federal Student Aid website and the Federal Student Aid Resources web page; both of these resources are also available in Spanish-language versions: Federal Student Aid en español and Federal Student Aid Resources en español.
Who Is Eligible for Financial Aid?
Financial aid is either NEED-BASED or NON-NEED-BASED. Non-need-based financial aid is made up of unsubsidized loans, parent loans, and private loans. Need-based financial aid includes subsidized loans, grants, scholarships, and federal work-study (read more on eligibility requirements).
Your amount of need-based financial aid eligibility is based on a formula:
Standard Student Budget
minus Total Student and/or Parent Contributions
equals Amount of Need-Based Financial Aid
UC Berkeley's standard Undergraduate Student Budgets are based on annual surveys to estimate student expenses for each year. The Student Budget is a major factor in setting the amount of financial aid you may receive. Your budget is based on the housing option you select on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) until your housing status (living in a residence hall, living off-campus, or living with relatives) is confirmed by the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office. Please note that, for financial aid budgeting purposes, the Wada Apartments, Channing-Bowditch Apartments, International House, University Village, and the Maximino Martinez Commons Apartments are considered off-campus housing. Nonresidents are charged an additional amount for Nonresident Supplemental Tuition and Fees; please see our web page with information for out-of-state students about Nonresident Supplemental Tuition and Fees.
The Parent Contribution is set by a federal formula. The principal components in calculating the parent contribution are: parent income and assets, parent age and need for retirement income, and number of family dependents.
You may also be assessed for a Student Contribution. The student contribution for each year is based on a federal formula that includes a percentage of student earnings and savings.
The Expected Family Contribution is a combination of the Parent Contribution and Student Contribution.
If you and/or your parents would like to get a rough estimate of what type of financial aid you might be eligible for at UC Berkeley, try our Cal-culator.
Financial Aid Information for Newly Admitted Students for Academic Year 2013-14
